Automatic contact forming machine



Nov. 12, 1963 l.. K. FuslK AUTOMATIC CONTACT ToRMTNG MACHINE 8 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Jan. 26, 1960 Nov. 12, 1963 L. K. FuslK 3,110,201

AUTOMATIC CONTACT FCRMING MACHINE med Jan. 2e, leso s sheets-sheet 2 A 5/ an-.5M 51 r1111111114 ri .57 4 7 mllllm 'll" 2i-12521271', ew/s ff. Fas/'h gynli Nov. 12, 1963 L. K. Fus| K 3,110,201

AUTOMATIC CONTACT FCRMTNC MACHINE v Filed Jan. 26, 1960 s sheets-sheet s 152;@ Ezra-afar 15gg QW/1s h. Fusi/r j Nov. 12, 1963 L. K. FuslK AUTOMATIC CONTACT FCRMTNG MACHINE:

8 Sheets-Sheet 4 Filedv Jan. 26. 1960 Ezazzar' ew/s ll. Fas/'lr Nov. 12, 1963 K. FuslK 3,110,201

AUTOMATIC CONTACT FORMING MACHINE Filed Jan. 26. 1960 8 sheets-Sheet 5 hanf@ Nov. 12, 1963 1 K. FslK AUTOMATIC CONTACT FORMING MACHINE 8 Sheets-Sheet 6 Filed Jan. 26. 1960 Lz'ezzar f ew/Is if. Fas/'A' Nov. 12, 1963 l.. K. FuslK AUTOMATIC CONTACT FCRMING MACHINE:

s sheets-sheet T Filed Jan. 26. 1960 Nov. 12, 1963 l.. K. FuslK AUTOMATIC CONTACT FORMING MACHINE 8 Sheets-Sheet 8 Filed Jan. 26. 1960 Eran-f0.2"

Lewis ff. Fusi United States Patent Office Patented Non. l2, i963 3,litl,2tl1 AUTGMA'ICEC CNII FGRMEQG MACHINE Lewis K. Fusik, Berwyn, Ill., assigner to Northern Electric Company, Cmcago, Ill., a corporation of Belau/are Filed llan. 26, i960, Ser. No. 4,79@ 3 Claims. iCl. 78-l7) rl`his invention relates generally to automatic contact forming machines, and more specically to an improved machine for forming contacts directly onto their supporting member, such contacts lbeing made `from a supply of contact wire.

Although the principles of the present invention may be included in various contact forming machines adapted to form a contact on various types of supporting or conductive members, a particularly useful application is made in a Contact forming machine adapted to lform a contact on the inside of an apertured 7generally tubular member. Prior contact forming machines which operate automatically have had various disadvantages. Some of them employ a means for feeding a supply of individual contacts. Such contacts may have become scratched, corroded, or other-wise damaged so that after installation, less than ideal performance will result. Some of the prior Contact forming devices have used eX- cessively complicated linkages and mechanisms at the various stations thereof, a fact which renders such devices more subject to wear, renders them need-ful of an excessive amount of lubrication and adjustment, and on the whole renders them more unreliable. Further, prior devices have a tendency to damage themselves `or to produce a series of defective parts once a malfunction has occurred. Still further, certain prior devices have required the use `of auxiliary apparatus, such as a large reciprocating press, in the operation of the same.

The present invention contemplates the utilization of simplified mechanisms and linkages driven from a common source of power, which thereby requires no auxiliary apparatus. Since simplified structure has been provided, the need for maintenance, lubrication, and repair has been minimized, the likelihood of Wear and breakage has been reduced, and a more reliable machine has therefore been provided. ri`he present invention further contemplates the utilization of means for sensing improper feeding and ejecting, such means being operative to take appropriate corrective action automatically.

Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a simplified automatic contact forming machine.

Another object of the present invention is to provide an automatic contact forming machine capable of operation without attention for extended periods of time, with a minimum of maintenance, repair, and other service.

Yet another object of the present invention is to provide an automatic contact forming machine duiven from a single source of power.

A still further object of the present invention is to provide an automatic contact forming machine which is of such construction that it can be readily ada ted for forming contacts on different styles of conductive or supporting members.

Many other advantages, features and additional obiects of the present invention will become manifest to those versed in `the art upon making reference to the detailed description and the accompanying sheets of drawings in which a preferred structural embodiment incorporating the principles of the presentV invention is shown by way of illustrative example.

On the drawings:

FIGURE 1 is a -top view of an automatic contact forming machine provided in accordance with the principles of the present invention;

FIGURE 2 is an enlarged fragmentary view, partly in cross section, taken generally along the line II-II of FIGURE 1, and representing a feed station to provide a supply of parts to the machine;

FIGURE 3 is a fragmentary cross-sectional view taken generally along the line III-III of FIGURE 2;

FIGURE 4 is an enlarged side view, partly in cross section and partly broken away, of details shown in FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 5 is lan enlarged cross-sectional View, partly in elevation, taken generally along the line V-V of FIG- URE l, showing a mechanism for feeding contact wire;

FIGURE 6 is an enlarged fragmentary View, taken along line VI-VI of FIGURE 1, and showing mechanism for contact forming;

FIGURE 7 is a fragmentary enlarged cross-sectional view taken generally along line VII-VII of FIGURE 1, and providing a further View of the structure shown in FIGURE 6;

FIGURE 8 is an enlarged fragmentary cross-sectional view, taken along line VIII--VIII of FIGURE l, and showing further details of the structure in FIGURE 6;

FIGURE 9 is a fragmentary enlarged view, taken along line IX-IX of FIGURE 1, and showing still further details of the structure shown in FIGURE 6;

FIGURE l0 is an enlarged fragmentary portion of FIGURE 1, With parts broken away to show further details, representing a portion of the ejection station;

FIGURE ll is a fragmentary View taken generally -along line XI-XI of FIGURE l0, and showing details obscured in FIGURE 10;

FIGURE 12, is a view taken generally along line XII-XII of FIGURE l0, with parts broken away and cross sectioned;

FIGURE 13 is an enlarged view, partly in section, taken along line XIII- XIII of FIGURE 1, and showing a checking mechanism;

FIGURE 14 is an enlarged cross-sectional view of the finished member, taken at line XIV-XIV of FIGURE 12;

FIGURE 15 is a view of a finished member of blade construction;

KFIGURE 16 is a fragmentary top view of modified structure for supporting the members to be worked upon; and

FIGURE 17 is a modified form of mechanism adapted to feed two contact wires.

As shown on the drawings:

The principles of this invention are particularly useful when embodied in an automatic contact forming machine such as illustrated in FIGURE l, generally indicated by the numeral 2i?. This machine is adapted to form conttacts automatically on apertured conductive members, and to that end includes an indexable turntable or index dial 21 which is rotatable in 'a step-by-step manner adjacent to a series of stations each provided with a mechanism for acting on the part or member to be provided with a contact. 'Fhese stations include a member feed station Z2, a contact wire feed station 23, a Contact forming station 24, a contact finishing, shaping, or dressing station 25, and a member ejection Istation 26. The machine 2@ also includes means generally indicated at 27, 2S and 29 for checking that conductive members are being properly fed and ejected. The stations 23-26 are each powered by a cam shaft 3i) which is common to each of said stations 22a-26, and whose movements are synchronized with the movements of the turntable 21.

More specifically, the machine 2@ includes a base 3l supported on legs (not shown) having a sub-base 32 on which a drive motor 33 is supported. The motor 33 is provided with conventional motor-starting controls including a motor relay (not shown). The motor 33 has a pulley 34 connected by a belt 35 to a larger pulley 36 corotatably supported by a shaft 37 which is journaled in bearings 3S, 3S. rl`he inner end 0f the shaft 37 is connected by a coupling device 39 to the input 4i) of a conventional indexing mechanism 41, the output of which includes a shaft 4Z which corotatably supports the turntable 2l for rotation about the axis of the shaft 42. In the instant machine, eight revolutions of the input shaft 46 effects one revolution of the turntable 2l, and although the shaft 4G is continuously rotated by the motor 33, the shaft 42 makes eight distinct intermittent equi-angular movements such that there is a dwell period between each of these movements. The details of the means 4l which rotate the turntable 2l in a step-by-step manner are well known and do not form a part of this invention, an example of the same being those commercially made and sold by Special Tool Engineering Co. of Chicago, illinois.

The shaft 37 also carries and drives a sprocket wheel 43 connected by a link chain 44 to a second sprocket wheel 45 corotatably secured to the shaft Si?. In this embodiment, the effective size of the sprocket wheels 43 and 45 is the same so that for each revolution of the shaft S7, the shaft 36 is also rotated by exactlyrone revolution. One of the sprocket wheels 43, 45 is adjustably secured to its shaft so that the angular position of the shaft 39 may be adjusted with respect to the dwell position or angular position of the turntable 2l. rihe shaft 39, like the shaft 37, is rotatably journaled in bearings 46 supported by the base 3l.

The turntable 2l is provided with a plurality of angularly spaced pockets 47, the illustrated embodiment having eight such pockets. Each of these pockets is so shaped and sized as to receive and support one of the conductive members 43 which is to be provided with a contact as it is passed by the turntable 21 to the various work stations.

A supply of apertured conductive members 48 is delivered by a chute 49 in oriented fashion to the member feed station 22, the mechanism of which is shown more clearly in FIGURES 2 and 3. As the turntable 21 is rotated, each of the pockets 47 is successively brought to a halt in alignment with the feed mechanism at the feed station. The chute 49 has a horizontally directed discharge end shown in FIGURE 3 which terminates at the station 22 in vertically spaced relation above the pocket 47 in the turntable 21. The members 48 are biased as by the weight of other members behind them so that they move to the right, such movement being arrested by a stop plate 59 having a vertical stop face 5l spaced from the end of the chute 49 and thereby defining a space 52 directly above the pocket 47. Within the space 52, there is provided a pair of pawls 53, 53 each pivotally supported by a pin 54 secured to the plate 59. The pawls 53 are yieldably biased toward each other by an extension spring 55 secured thereto, the pawls being limited in movement toward each other by stop pins 56. Each of the pawls 53 has a generally upwardly directed cam surface 57 which jointly provide vertical support for the endmost conductive member 4S.

A ixed plate S is disposed and supported beneath the turntable 21 in a manner to be described and also provides' support for the stop plate 50, such support being schematically shown in FIGURE 2. rl`he fixed plate 58 also provides support for a solenoid 59 having a magnetic reciprocable plunger 6i) coupled to a vertically reciprocable plunger 61 which is guided by the stop plate 59 in a suitable aperture and which is upwardly biased by a spring 62, the plunger 61 extending into the space 52 between the pawls 53, 53 so that when it is moved downwardly by the plunger 69 of the solenoid 59, it may act on a member 48 to urge the pawls 53, 53 apart, to thereby release the member 43, and to load the member 4S into the pocket 47 therebeneath. rfhis mechanism normally feeds or disposes a conductive member 45 into each pocket 47 as it passes therebeneath. As the member 43 is so released, the next member 45 moves into engagement with a vertical face 63 on the plunger 5l and remains in engagement therewith until the plunger el is retracted. rthe electric solenoid 59 is energized by a switch (not shown) which is actuated by a cam surface 64 on the sprocket wheel 45 shown in FlGUlE l.

' Upon completion of the loading step, the turntable 2l is automatically indexed or advanced to the next station, namely the contact wire feed station 23. However, en route to this station, the means 27 and the means Z8 check to see that the pocket 47 has been properly filled. As best seen in FlGURE 4, the means 27 includes an arcuate bar 65 which is downwardly biased by a pair of springs 65, 65 to a position proximate the member 4S. rl`he vertical position of the arcuate bar 65, when free, is determined by a pair of screws 67, 67 adjustably engageable therewith and extending slidably through rigid support means 65 carried by the fixed plate 53. A switch 69 is provided with an actuating lever 70 which engages with one of the screws 67 for being raised by such screw in response to upward movement of the arcuate bar 65. The s-witch 69 is connected into the relay circuit of the motor l33` so that if the bar `65 is raised, the motor 33 is instantly shut o. If a member 48 is too high, if it is partially overhanging the edge of the pocket 47, or the like, the added effective height would serve to raise the arcuate bar 65 thereby opening the switch 69 which electrically is in the control circuit for the motor 33. By resetting the screws 67 and the position of the switch 69, members having a dierent height may be accommodated by the same machine. This type of malfunction, while possible, is ordinarily infrequent, an-:l the resulting delay in correcting the condition and restarting the machine manually is of a minor nature, and involves somewhat lless time and effort than would be spent in possibly repairing the machine or sorting out possibly damaged members 4S. The bar 65 extends centrally over each pocket 47 as it passes thereby and also serves to hold the member 48 in its pocket from the moment that it leaves the feed station 22. The bar 65 is functionally contiguous with a second arcuate bar 71 shown in FIGURE 1 and described further herein. Thus it can be seen that the means Z7 is responsive to an improperly fed member 4S and -is operative to effect disabling of the machine 2i) before the improperly fed pocket or member reaches the contact fwire feed station 23.

The means 23 shown in FIGURE 1 is constructed substantially similar to other structures shown in FlGURE. 13, which other structure includes a switch 72 having a roller-actuator 73. The roller of the means 28 is disposed to roll across each of the members 48 before they reach the contact wire feed station 23. However, if the pocket 47 is empty, the roller drops momentarily into the pocket to close the switch of the means 23 which then energizes a solenoid valve (not shown) which directs compressed air to the contact wire feed station 23 to disable it in a manner presently to be described. Once the switch of the means 28 has been closed to energize the disabling circuit, the circuit remains closed until opened by a further switch actuated by the cam 64. It is thus apparent that the means 2S is also responsive to an improperly fed contact, namely no contact at all, and that the means 2S is operative to effect a disabling in the machine before the impropenly fed pocket reaches the wire feed station 23.

When no excessively protruding member 48 has actuated the means 27, and when no empty pocket 47 has actuated the means 28, the pocket 47 arrives with its member 4S at the iwire feed station 23, the structure of which is best seen in FlGURE 5. Each pocket 47 of the turntable Z1 is provided with a vertical passageway 74 which registers with an aperture 75 in the member 48 in which the contact is desired to be formed. The passageway '74 is disposed in a die or bushing '76 which is xedly carried by the turntable 21, its lower face being coplanar with the lower face of the turntable, the lower end of the passageway 74 thus dening severing means in the nature of a shearing edge on the turntable. Since the turntable is rotatable, the shearing edge thus deiined may be said to be movable fin response to rotational indexing movement of the turntable. The fixed plate S is also provided with `a passageway 77 which is disposed in a xed die or bushing 78, the upper surface of which is disposed directly beneath and arranged substantially copilanar with the lower face or surface of the turntable. The passageway 77 in the stationary die or bushing 78 registers with the passageway 7d, and its upper end thus denes severing means in the nature of a shearing edge which is fixedly disposed at the station 23. It is to be noted that the shear edges and passageways dening the same register with each other throughout the entire dwell period of the turntable 2i.

Other structure is provided which is adapted to normally advance or feed an increment of contact wire into the movable die 76 in the turntable from the stationary die 7S therebelow during each dwell period of the turntable. To this end, a supply of contact wire 79, such as of silver, is directed upwardly through apertures in the base 31 adjacent to a fixed shoe Sil and a movable shoe 811 up into the stationary bushing 78. The faces of the shoes Si), 81 are substantially aligned with the edge of the passageway 77.

A wedge member l82 pivotally supported about a xed axis 183 is constructed in the form of a bell crank having a portion 34 in contact'with the wire 7 9 which, under the influence of a spring S5, resiliently biases the contact wire 7 9 against the shoe Si) at a point between the xed axis 83 and the yturntable 2l to grip the wire in a manner which prevents downward movement of the same, but which permits upward wire movement. The stationary or fixed shoe Si) and the wedge member 82 are thus supported onV a common bracket $6 secured in any convenient manner to a spacer 87 which is one of the supports for the xed plate 58. The bracket 8e is apertured and receives structure presently to be described. Above the bracket 86 there is a stationary vertical slide member 188 which receives and supports a movable member 89 thereon, the elements 8S, 89 having a dove tail connection therebetween in this embodiment. The movable member 89 supports the movable shoe Si and also supports a wedge member 99 pivotally supported by a pin 91 having a movable axis which can reciprocate with the movable shoe Si. The wedge member 99, like the wedge member 32, is resiliently biased by a spring 91a so that its portion 92 resiliently biases the contact wire 79 against the movable shoe Si at a point intermediate the movable axis or pin 91 and the turntable 21. This creates a grip on the wire which causes the wire 79 to be raised in response to upward movement of the movable member S9, and which enables the wedge membery 99 to allow slippage in response to downward movement thereof. The movable member -89 is biased upwardly by a compression spring 93 acting between the stationary bracket 86 and the member S9. The upward movement of the member S9 is limited by a stud 94 secured by a pin 95 to the member 89, and having `a threaded end extending through the aperture in the fixed bracket 1&6 on which an adjustment nut 96 and a jam nut 97 are secured. The position of the adjustment nut 96 determines the llength of the increment of wire which is advanced per stroke into the bushing 76 in the turntable 2l.

As the shaft Si) is rotated, a cam 98 keyed thereto raises one end of a first class lever 99 by acting on a roller lil@ carried thereby, the roller-end of the lever 99 being biased against the cam 98 by a spring 101. The lever 99 is pivoted about `a pin 102 having an axis which is iixedly supported with respect to the fixed plate 58. The other end `of the lever 99 includes an arcuate surface 103 which has engagement with an upwardly directed surface ib-4 on the movable member 89. Each time that the cam rise 93a raises the roller 190, ythe ycurved portion 163 lowers the member 89 against the Aforce of the spring 93 by an amount determined =by the position of the nut 96 to grasp the wire 79 at a point below its previous grasping point, and `as the roller lli@ rides `down the slope of the portion 98a of the cam 93, an increment of the wire 79 is advanced upwardly into the bushing 78. lt is to be noted that the length of wire increment so advanced is such that the upper end of the wire is spaced from the member 4S. It is thus apparent that the means 23 yprovides and disposes an increment of wire 79 in the turntable passageway '74 in vertically spaced relation to the Vmember 4S. ln response to the next indexing movement of the turntable 21, the wire increment is sheared lofi Eso that its lower end rests `011 the upper face or surface of the xed plate 5S. From this station to the next, the plate S8 is imperforate below the passageway 74 so that tue upper surface of the fixed plate 58 supports the wire increment. lt will be noted that the mechanical linkage which includes the lever 99 is the sole means for yoperating the wire feed mechanism, and that but a single cam on the sha-ft 3@ is employed.

Each time that the shaft 33 ,makes one revolution, the wedges 82, 9G alternately release their grip on the wire, the wedge doing so when tit -moves away from the turntable 21, i.e. downwardly, and the wedge S2 doing so when the wedge 9i) moves in an opposite direction. Thus an increment of wire is normally advanced for every revolution of the shaft 30. However, if an empty pocket 47 is being indexed to the station 23, the means 2S will have come tinto acti-on as already described. By this action, a supply of compressed air is directed to a single-acting #spring-return pneumatic actuator 10S havinc a rod 106 which is then projected into a recess 197 in the movable member 89. This interaction holds the movable member S9 in a retracted position and effects a disengagement between the curved surface 103 and the surface 194, so that the lever 99 may continue to rock, but without effect. lt will be noted that the location of the sensing means 2.8 is such that an empty pocket reaches it before it reaches the station 23. The difference in angular position is needed to allow for the time lag inherent in operating the actuator 10S. At the proper moment, the 'air is released f-rorn the yactuator M5 as already described, thereby readying the station for the next iii-lled pocket or readying it to be again disabled in the event that the pockets be empty. It is particularly advantageous feature of this invention that the wire increment is severed in response to turntable indexing, since this eliminates need for special linkage to perform this function. It is `a -further important feature of this inventio-n that the feed mechanism may be disabled automatically in the absence of members 48. lt is also advantageous that the lixed plate 58 supports the wire increment so that no preliminary holding operation is needed for the saine.

In combination with this feature, the pocket 47 is next indexed ldirectly to -that station which does a substantial amount of the contact forming. This station, as indicated at 24 in FIGURE l, Iand the mechanism f-or the same, is shown in `FGURES 6 9.

Referring rst to FIGURE 6, a generally horizontal drive plate 1538 is disposed in overhanging relation to the turntable 21. To support and reciprocate the plate 108, there are a pair of rods 1&9 provided which are securely attached to the plate 198 in any convenient manner. `Each of the rods 109 extends through a slide bearing Ior bushing 114i carnied by the fixed plate 53, and each rod 109 terminates in la lower end slidably guided in a lower fixed plate 31a, which is fixed to the b-ase 3l. A bracket lll is rigidly secured to each of the rods 109 at `a point below the height of the `shaft 5G, the bracket lll being provided with an extension M2 which is bifurcated and rotatably supports a roller 1l3 :for engagement with the vlower surface of 'a cam 114 keyed to the shaft 39. The drive plate 168 and the described drive mechanism is thus movable as Ia unit and is res-iliently biased in an upward direction by a plurality of springs 115 acting between the fixed plate 5S and the drive plate 1533. The structure thus far described in FIGURE 6 is used for both the forming mechanism at the station indicated vat 24 and for the finishing or shaping mechanism indicated at the station 25. This structure, as will presently be seen, eects a simplification wherein a single cam is used to drive structure associated with each of two stations, and by which the need for any external drive means, such as a press ram, has been eliminated.

FIGURE 6 also illustrates Va series of additional spacers 115, 117, and 118 which provide support for the fixed plate S with respect to the lower plate 31a and the base 31. (The lower plate 31a does not show on FIG- URE l 'since it is substantially of the same configuration as the plate 5S.) The spacers 116 yand 113 are adapted as `at 119 and 121i -to provide more bearing support for the shaft 3i?. A cap 121 secured by screws 122 retains the sp-rings 115 in position, and renders them accessible for easy maintenance.

Referring to FIGURE 7, wherein for clarity most details of FIGURES 8 and 9 have been omitted, it will be noted that the bracket 112 is provided with `a grease iitting 123 for each rod 109 which communicates with a passageway 124 leading to a grease groove 125 `disposed within a bearing insert 126.

Referring again to FIGURES l and 6, the arcuate bar 71 is supported -at each end thereof by a block 12?? so that the bar 'or bar portion 71 extends `centrally over the pockets 47, vclose -to the member 48, to hold the members 48 in the pockets continually during work and indexing. The bar 71 also performs a stripping function presently to be described.

Referring now to FIGURE 8, the detailed structure at the station 24 will be described. At this station, structure is provided which acts on the wire increment to form it into a contact secured to the conductive member 48, and of the proper shape. To this end, the mechanism at the station 24 includes a pair of reciprocable downwardly directed locator pins 128, 128 having a pilot portion which passes through locating apertures in the apertured member 48 and into corresponding apertures in each pocket 47 of the turntable 21. The pins 128 are downwardly biased by springs and are retained against ejection by a pin 129 which permits captive reciprocation of the pins 128. The pins 128 provide horizontal holding of the member 48 with respect to the turntable 21. The hold down means 130 may also be provided to supplement the downward force against the member 4S so that a tight it is created between its lower surface and the upper surface of the die '76. The hold down means is likewise spring-biased and retained by the pin 129 for a limited reciprocation with respect to the drive plate S. The arcuate bar 71 acts to hold the member 43 in the pocket 47 at the station 24, and to insure that the locator means or pins 128, 128 are stripped from the member 48 at the completion of the operation.

It is apparent that the cam 114 acts to lower the drive plate 1118 to thus first hold the member 48 securely. Thereafter, a cam 131 raises a reciprocably guided pin 132 which has a Contact-wire engaging portion that lifts the wire increment up through the aperture 75 in the member 4S. The upper end of the wire increment engages within a conical tip of a member engaging element 133, and as the downward movement of the drive plate 108 continues, the wire increment is forced by the conical tip into substantially the desired configuration.

The pin 132 is continually operative to back up the wire increment in opposition to the means 133 which acts in the opposite direction on the wire increment, and continues to move upwardly as needed to force substantially all of the wire increment through or into the aperture in the member 4S.

To accomplish this result, the iixed plate 58 is provided with a bushing or pin guide 134 which receives the upper end of a pin holder 135 which is resiliently biased by a spring 136 so that its head portion 137 engages the periphery of the cam 131. The head portion 137 is held in position by a screw 138, the removal of which gives access to a threaded body 139 carried on the end of the pin 132 for adjusting its effective length. A pin 149 is provided as shown to render the pin 132 reciprocable to a limited axial extent, with respect to the fixed plate 58.

In this embodiment, the element 133 which has the hollow tip is provided with a head 140:1 biased by a spring 141 retained by a cap and screw assembly 142. The downward travel of the drive plate 15S is such that the member engaging portion 133 of the mechanism will in fact engage the member prior to the end of the stroke of the drive plate 1418, and the spring 141 thereby allows for overtravel of the drive plate 1113. It will be appreciated that under certain circumstances the resilient backing for the contact forming portion 133 may be omitted.

it is thus seen that the cam 131 cooperates with the pin 132 which engages the Wire increment and which is disposed between the turntable 21 and the shaft 30 to drive such pin 132 for further cooperation with the member engaging portion 133 to form substantially the completed contact on the member 48. Upon the completion of such operation, the cam 131 permits the spring 136 to retract the pin 132, and the cam 114 permits the springs 115 to retract the drive plate 103, after which the turntable 21 is indexed to the next station 25.

Referring now to FIGURE 9, the operation of this station and its structure will be explained. As the member 48 arives to the station 25, it will be appreciated that the contact forming is substantially completed. However, this station is provided so that the work load on the preceding station may be lessened, and so that the Contact surface may be provided with a properly finished, dressed, or shaped configuration. Since most of the components are identical to that shown in FIGURE 9, similar reference characters have been provided. However, in place of the element 133, an element 143 has been provided to engage the member 43 and its contact, the conical member engaging portion of which is shaped and finished so as to provide the proper shape and finish to the contact. At this station, no back-up spring is provided and the element 143 is held in position by a cap and screw assembly 144 secured to the drive plate 10S in any convenient manner. For a further description of the structure and operation of this station, attention is invited to the foregoing paragraphs pertaining to FIG- URE 8.

It is emphasized that the drive plate 105 is common to both of the stations 24 and 25 and that no separate press is needed for the operation of the same. By this structure, a detached increment of Contact wire can be handled while it is loose without preliminary attachment to the member 48. It is also emphasized that the arcuate bar 71 again keeps the member 48 in the pocket 47 during indexing, and assists in stripping the member 48 from various elements at each of these work stations.

Referring further to FIGURES 9 and l, upon retraction of the pin 132 and the elements carried by the drive plate 193, the turntable 21 indexes the finished conductive member 48 to the ejection station 26. As best seen in FIGURE ll, the ejection station includes a cam 145 keyed to the shaft 30, the cam 145 being operative on a roller 146 carried by a pivoted lever 147 which has a laterally extending arm 14S engageable with a downwardly biased ejector pin 149. The downward bias is provided by a spring acting between the head of the ejector pin 149 and a bushing 151 which guides the ejector pin 149. The spring 150 thus normally holds the ejector pin 149 in a retracted position until the rise on the cam 145 acting through the linkage 146-148 raises the ejector pin 149 so that it projects through the bushing 151 above the upper surface of the fixed plate 58 and through a relatively large opening 152 in the pocket 47, to thereby raise the finished member 48 from the turntable 21. An air blast at this point may be utilized in combination with the ejector pin 149 to discharge the member 48 from the machine 20 through a chute 153. The bushing 151 may be retained in any convenient manner, the instant embodiment including a retainer plate 154 secured thereto by conventional means.

It is emphasized that the use of a common drive as the sole means for several of these described stations provides a simplification of structure which is one of the particular advantages of this invention.

When the finished conductive member 48 arrives at the ejection station 26, it will be appreciated that the newly formed Contact thereon is exceedingly clean. The additional use of air may be objectionable since the air may contain contact contaminants. If such be the case, an electro-mechanical kick-out mechanism may be additionally employed with the ejection means at the ejection station. Such a device is shown in FIGURES and 12 and includes in this embodiment a rst class lever 155 biased to the position shown in solid lines by a spring 156 acting between one end thereof and a rigid support 157 secured to the fixed plate 58. A solenoid 159 of the type which forces a plunger 160 outwardly in response to energization thereof is employed, and when energized, the plunger 168 causes the lever 155 to rock rapidly to the position shown in broken lines and to thereby engage the finished member 48 with its opposite end, giving it a lateral kick, radially of the turntable 21 and into the discharge chute 153. The solenoid 159 is connected electrically in parallel with the solenoid 59 shown in FIG- URE 2 so that both of the solenoids 59 and 159 are simultaneously energized by the action of the cam track 64 shown in FIGURE 1.

When the pocket 47 has been emptied at the ejection station 26, the turntable 21 again indexes. Before the emptied pocket 47 again reaches the member feeding station 22, a test structure such as illustrated in FIGURE 13 is employed. This structure includes a switch 161 having an actuator 162 provided with a roller 163 engageable v/ith the turntable 21. So long as the roller 163 rolls along the surface of the turntable 21 or falls into an empty pocket 47, this mechanism performs no function. But if a member 48 be left in the pocket 47 as shown in broken lines, then the roller 163 will be raised as also shown in broken lines to actuate the switch 161. The switch 161 is connected into the relay circuit of the motor 33 in such a manner that if the switch 161 is actuated, the motor 33 is immediately stopped so that an attendant can remove the member 48 which was not ejected. It will be appreciated that because of the structure of the ejection mechanism, such an eventuality is relatively remote. However, a determination is nevertheless made which serves as a check against certain types of breakage and malfunction. If a member 48 be present, the machine 'is therefore shut down so as to prevent jamming at the next station.

In FGURE 14, there is shown an enlarged cross-sectional view of the nished member 4S, provided with a contact 164 by a contact forming machine such as that disclosed herein. In this instance, the member 48 comprises a tubular part wherein the contact 164 is formed in the aperture 75. Another aligned aperture 165 permitted the entry of the elements 133 and 143, and no other element was needed to be disposed within the interior of the member 48. T he instant structure not only represents a substantial simplification, but is particularly suited for performing this type of contact formation, in addition to forming contacts on conventional strips such as shown in FGURE 15. The contact 164 in FIGURE 14 has thus been formed by means for acting on a loose wire increment to form the Wire increment into a contact which is properly shaped and disposed on the conductive member. The result shown in FIGURE 14 has been accomplished without touching of the contact by any handling mechanism after it has been shaped, it has been installed in a protected location, its finish is fresh and hence oxidefree, and it is mechanically protected against nicking etc. by bulk handling methods. Since the wire was of a smaller diameter prior to the contact formation than was the aperture 75, an inherent feature of this structure is that fresh raw unoxidized silver is in direct engagement therewith, thereby minimizing the electrical resistance therebetween.

Referring nov.r to FiGURES 16 and 17, there is shown a modification which permits additional conductive members to be handled at each of the stations at the same time. It will be appreciated that structure such as shown in FiGURES 8, 9, 1l, and 13 may be adapted to act on two members at the same time at each station using no additional drive means, or to employ two rollers 163 for the structure shown in FIGURE 13. Similarly, a feed mechanism such as shown at station 22 may be provided at one of the unused stations shown in FIGURE l. However, some modification of the turntable and of the contact wire feed mechanism is needed. In FIGURE 16, a turntable 166 has been provided with a recess 177 which is larger than either conductive member 178, and within which there is disposed a holder 179 which may be shouldered as at 181i if desired. The holder 179 is provided with one or more upwardly opening pockets 181 arranged in a group consisting of two-pockets in this example, which group is -angularly spaced from other pockets on the turntable 166. The turntable holder 179 is provided with vertical passageways 1182 therethrough. The turntable holder 179 is also provided with suitable locator and ejection openings similar to those previously described. Means are also provided for rigidly securing the holder 179 -in the recess 177, such means in this embodiment comprising -a set screw l183 which insures joint movement between the holder 17 9 and the turntable 166.

Referring now to FIGURE 17, certain components thereof may be employed in common with the structure shown in FIGURE 5, and therefore similar reference numerals have been assigned. In this embodiment, the turntable 166 rotates above a fixed plate 184 which is provided with two vertical passageways 185 to register respectively with the vertical passageways 182 in the turntable 166. Two contact wires 79 are fed through the passageways 185, 185 substantially in the manner already described. However, the means for feeding the same and disabling the feeding mechanism diers in structure.

A cam 186 carried by the shaft 30 rocks the lever 99 as before so that a movable bracket 187 is caused to reciprocate vertically. The movable bracket 187 is slidably guided on a pair of cylindrical guide members 188, one disposed behind the other in this view. Below the movable bracket 187 there is a fixed bracket 189 supported on the cylindrical guide members 188 in a fixed position. The fixed bracket 189 supports a fixed-axis wedge member 190, corresponding to the wedge member 82 previously described, and a second fixed-axis wedge member 191 on theopposite side of the bracket 189 for acting on the second wire. In like fashion, the movable bracket 187 is provided with a movable-axis wedge member 192, which corresponds to the wedge member 9i) described above, and a second movable-axis wedge member 193 disposed on the opposite side of the movable bracket 187. As described above, the movable bracket 187 is adjustably biased in an upward direction so that the engagement surface 18411 is in engagement with the arcuate surface 183 on the lever 99.

Electrical means including switches 194 and 195 are respectively provided with roller-type actuators 196, 197 which individually may drop into either of the pockets 181 in the absence of a conductive member 173 therein.

This causes the corresponding switch 194 or 195 to close and to energize a corresponding solenoid 198, 199, respectively having plungers 290 and 291 for acting individually on a lever such as 202. The lever for the solenoid 199 is obscured by the lever 202 and is identical in construction. The movable wedge members 192, 193 are each provided with a pin 203 actuated by the corresponding lever 202 which pivots counterclockwise as shown in response to energization of the corresponding solenoid 198, 199. Thus either of the solenoids may be individually or jointly energized to move the corresponding movable wedge members away from the contact wire and hence remove any bias of the wire against the corresponding shoe so that the movable member 187 may reciprocate inetectually during such time that the solenoid is energized.

In this embodiment, as in the first, each of the wedge members is resiliently biased against a corresponding shoe at a point intermediate its pivotal axis and the turntable 166 to grip the wire to permit one way movement y only.

It is thus apparent that a structure has been provided which is responsive to either of the pockets having no conductive member therein, and operative to eiect disabling of that portion of the wire feed mechanism while only the empty pocket is at the wire feed station. Since the wire advancing function has been disabled, temporarily, no increment of wire will be fed into the turntable and sheared olf thereby unless a conductive member 178 is present. It is also apparent that the feed mechanism for each Wire is driven by a single continuously reciproeating member and that said member or assembly may -be automatically partially disabled and restored so that the mechanism will normally advance or feed an increment of contact wire into the movable dies in the turntable from the stationary die therebelow during the dwell period. The instant modification suggests how a relatively versatile device may be rendered even more flexible as to utility.

Although various minor modifications might be suggested by those versed in the art, it should be understood that l wish to embody within the scope of the patent warranted hereon all such embodiments as reasonably and properly come within the scope of my contribution to the art.

I claim as my invention:

l. In an automatic machine for forming contacts on apertured conductive members, the combination cornprising: a turntable having a plurality of angularly spaced pockets each adapted to receive and support one of the apertured conductive members, said turntable being rotatable about its axis in a step-by-step manner to dispose each of said pockets successively into a position of dwell at each of a plurality of work stations; one of the stations being a member-feed station at which each of said pockets is normally fed a conductive member; another of said stations, separated from said one station by a plurality of intermediately disposed work stations, being a member-ejection station at which each of said pockets is normally emptied; at least one of the work stations including reciprocable downwardly l directed locator means adapted to pass through the conductive member remotely from its contact location; and an arcuate bar extending centrally over each of said pockets at said intermediately disposed Work stations, and disposed closely to the conductive members in such pockets, said bar being continually operative to hold the conductive members in such pockets during worl; on such members and .during turntable indexing, and to strip the conductive member from V,said locator means.

2. ln an automatic machine for forming contacts on apertured conductive members, vthe combination comprising: a turntable having a plurality of angularly spaced pockets each adapted to receive and support one of the apertured conductive members, said turntable being rotatable about its axis in a step-by-step manner to dispose each of said pockets successively into a position of dwell at each of a plurality of work stations; a continually rotatable shaft synchronized with the rotation of said turntable and disposed therebeneath and having a series of cams each corotatable therewith; one of said stations including a contact forming mechanism and a second of said stations including a contact nishing mechanism; each of said forming and nishing mechanisms including a reciprocable member-engaging portion disposed above said turntable and carried by an upwardly biased common drive plate; means rigidly attached to the drive plate adjacent to the periphery of the turntable and adapted to extend beneath and to be driven by one of said series of cams for reciprocating said drive plate; and each of said mechanisms including a reciprocably guided contact-wire engaging portion disposed intermediate said turntable and said shaft, and each adapted to be reciprocated by other cams of said series of cams in a manner to cooperate with said member-engaging portions, respectively.

3. ln an automatic machine for forming contacts on apertured conductive members, the combination comprising: a turntable having a plurality of angularly spaced pockets each adapted to receive and support one of the apertured conductive members, said turntable being rotatable about its axis in a step-by-step manner to dispose each of said pockets successively into a position of dwell at each of a plurality of work stations, said turntable having a vertical passageway extending through each of said pockets; one of said `stations including means for disposing one of the members in lone of said pockets; another of said stations including means for providing and disposing a detached increment of wire in said turntable passageway in vertically lspaced relation to the conductive member; and a third of said stations including reciprocably driven means 4for acting on the lower end of the detached wire increment for raising the wire increment partially through the aperture in the member, and additional means having a hollow tip engageable with the upper end of the wire vincrement for forcing it substantially into the desired coniiguration, said raising means for said detached wire increment being continually operative to back up the Wire increment in opposition to said additional means.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 555,403 Savory Feb. 25, 1896 1,733,264 Hoopes Oct. 29, 1929 1,951,841 Roberts Mar. 20, 1934 2,064,172 Lofstodt Dec. 15, 1936 2,082,882 Garnero June 8, 1937 2,126,453 Criley et al Aug. 9, 1938 2,222,605 Carlson Nov. 26, 1940 y2,270,300 H'othersall Jan. 20, 1942 2,337,881 Gaines Dec. 28, 1943 2,370,828 Widmont VMar. 6, 1945 2,473,590 Kellogg `lune 2|1, 1949 2,545,756 Andreu Mar. 20, 1951 2,554,982 Hartley et al May 29, 1951 2,769,228 Burge Nov. 6, 1956 2,873,513 Carlzen et al Feb. 17, 1959 2,956,332 Algatt Oct. 18, 1960 FOREIGN PATENTS 678,111 Great Britain Aug. 27, 1952 

1. IN AN AUTOMATIC MACHINE FOR FORMING CONTACTS ON APERTURED CONDUCTIVE MEMBERS, THE COMBINATION COMPRISING: A TURNTABLE HAVING A PLURALITY OF ANGULARLY SPACED POCKETS EACH ADAPTED TO RECEIVE AND SUPPORT ONE OF THE APERTURED CONDUCTIVE MEMBERS, SAID TURNTABLE BEING ROTATABLE ABOUT ITS AXIS IN A STEP-BY-STEP MANNER TO DISPOSE EACH OF SAID POCKETS SUCCESSIVELY INTO A POSITION OF DWELL AT EACH OF A PLURALITY OF WORK STATIONS; ONE OF THE STATIONS BEING A MEMBER-FEED STATION AT WHICH EACH OF SAID POCKETS IS NORMALLY FED A CONDUCTIVE MEMBER; ANOTHER OF SAID STATIONS, SEPARATED FROM SAID ONE STATION BY A PLURALITY OF INTERMEDIATELY DISPOSED WORK STATIONS, BEING A MEMBER-EJECTION STATION AT WHICH EACH OF SAID POCKETS IS NORMALLY EMPTIED; AT LEAST ONE OF THE WORK STATIONS INCLUDING RECIPROCABLE DOWNWARDLY DIRECTED LOCATOR MEANS ADAPTED TO PASS THROUGH THE CONDUCTIVE MEMBER REMOTELY FROM ITS CONTACT LOCATION; AND AN ARCUATE BAR EXTENDING CENTRALLY OVER EACH OF SAID POCKETS AT SAID INTERMEDIATELY DISPOSED WORK STATIONS, AND DISPOSED CLOSELY TO THE CONDUCTIVE MEMBERS IN SUCH POCKETS, SAID BAR BEING CONTINUALLY OPERATIVE TO HOLD THE CONDUCTIVE MEMBERS IN SUCH POCKETS DURING WORK ON SUCH MEMBERS AND DURING TURNTABLE INDEXING, AND TO STRIP THE CONDUCTIVE MEMBER FROM SAID LOCATOR MEANS. 